Sectional filing-cabinet.



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DAVID HUNTER, F MUSKGON, MICHIGAN, ASSIG-NOR TO THE SHAW-WALKER COMPANY,0F MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN, CORPORATION 0F MICHIGMW.

SECTIONAL FILINGCABINET.

nemesi.

Vrasanten sept. as, ima;

Application led August 28, 1916. Serial No. 117,168.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID E. HUNTER, a citizen ot the United States, anda resident of Muskegon, in the county of Muskegon 5 and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in SectionalFiling-Cabinets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to sectional tiling 1o cabinets, particularly tocabinets in which the sctions are entirelyconstructed of sheet meta Theobject of the invention is to provide x means for preventingvlongitudinal, transverse and vertical displacement of the sections afterthey are placed one on top of the other. Metal pieces, which may be inthe form of sheet metal plates, are secured at the lower corners of'eachsection to extend downwardly suihciently to receive between them the topof a lower section in such manner as to prevent longitudinal andtransverse relative displacement of the sections, interengagement beingprovided between the plates of one section and a lower sectionforinterlocking against vertical displacement. On the lower section theplates will extend downwardly suiiciently to act as legs for a tier ofsections to hold it raised above the floor.

My invention is shown in detail on the accompanying drawing'in which-Figure 1 is a perspective view of two cabi-v ing shown front and rearrectangular frames 7 and 8 are kformed of channel iron and at the lowercorners are connected by longitudinally extendingl sheet metal piecesbent at right angles to form the vertical walls 9 and 9 and thehorizontal walls or ledges 10 and 10', the ledges 10 and 10 forming thesupports for the bottom :1110i the drawer 5. At the top the frames 7 and8 are connected In the by a sheet metal piece which is bent to form thetop 12 and the sides 13 and 13; these upper side sections being in theplanes of the lower side sections 9 and 9 respectively, but separatetherefrom in order to lightenV the structure. The walls described aresecured at their ends to the inner sides of the frames 7 and 8.

When the sections are placed one on the other the front frames 7 willrest on each other arid likewise the rear frames 8 will` rest on eachother in vertical alinement. To prevent longitudinal and transversedisplacement oit' the sections metal pieces 14, 15, 16 and 17 aresecured at the respective lower corners of each section, and projectdownwardly a suicient distance below each se`ction to engage with thelower section at the corners thereof to prevent transverse relativedisplacementof the sections. I have Gill shown the pieces in the form ofrectangular Y sheet metal plates secured to the sides 9 and 9respectively, preferably by means of spot welding. As shown these platesare secured alongside ofthe frames 7 and 8 so that when one section isplaced on another, theprojecting ends of the plates of the upper sectionwill engage against the upper side wall sections 13 and 13 of the lowersection to prevent relative transverse displacement,

and will also engage against the frames 7 and 8 to lock vthesectionsagainst relative longitudinal displacement. The plates beingsmooth sections can be readily brought together or can be readilyseparated, but when once brought together they are rigidly lockedagainst relative transverse or longitudinal displacement: On the lowestsection the downwardly lprojecting plates will act as legs to support te tier above the ioor suicient to permit cleaning of the'loor.

In order to lock the sections at the rear against vertical displacementas well as longitudinal and transverse displacement, the rear plates 14and 16 have rearward projections or tongues 18 at their rear lowercorners for engaging in slots or sockets 19 formed in the front wall ofthe rear frames 9.8. When sections are arranged in vertical -alinernentthe tongues will engage in the sockets and will lock the sectionstogether vertically. The sections can be readily separated by raising upthe front end of the top section suicient' to raise the front plates 15and 17 above the next lower section and till lll@

to withdraw the tongues 18 out-of the slots 19 whereupon the top sectioncan be pulled,

lower section, and the sections will then be in accurate verticalalinement and will be so maintained. The plates being of thin sheetmetal are well within the outer edges of the frames 7 and 8 and whenseveral tiers of sections are placed alongside of each other, therespectlve frames 7 and8 can be brought into clse contact.

I thus produce a very simple and efficient arrangement for interlockingthe sections of a filing cabinet, the plates being readily .stamped fromsheet metal and rigidly se- ,cured preferably by welding.v VThe platesottom section form neat and strong of the supporting feet for holdingthe tier above the floor.

I do not, of course, desire to be limited to l the exact constructionand arrangement shown as modifications are noV doubt` possible whichwould. still come within the scope of the invention. I claim thefollowing:

In Van all metal sectional filing cabinet,

the combination of'front and rear rectangular supporting frames, top,side and bottom walls extending between 'and secured to saidV frames,plates welded to said side walls at the' lower corners thereof andalongside of said front and rear frames, said plates extendingdownwardly suliciently to engage against the side walls of a lowersection of a tier and to abut against the front and rear.

- walls of such lower section whereby to prevent longitudinal andtransverse relative displacement of the sections, said plates alsoacting as legs for separate sections or for the lowermost section o'f atier, the rear frames of each section having notches and the rearplates'having tongues for extending into said notches when the sectionsare placed one on top lof the other whereby to prevent relative verticaldisplacement of such sections. f

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 16th day of August,A. D., 1916.

DAVID E. HUNTER.

